FMCG News November 2015

New CEO for PepsiCo

PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand has announced the appointment of Robbert Rietbroek as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

Rietbroek joins the company from personal care enterprise, Kimberly-Clark Australia, where he was managing director and CEO Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

His leadership at Kimberly-Clark included a focus on customer service, retailer partnerships, sustainability and delivering growth. Prior to Kimberly-Clark, he spent 16 years at Procter & Gamble.

Rietbroek is set to have overall responsibility for PepsiCo ANZ’s snacks, beverages, and oats businesses, in conjunction with its portfolio of brands including Smith’s and Bluebird Potato Chips, Pepsi Max, and Gatorade.

Lindt is also in competition with Belgian chocolate group Guylian which recently announced its plan to open 30 stores across Australia over four years with at least one shop in each state and territory.

Source: Australian Food News

Arnott’s

Arnott's Biscuits has paid $51,000 in penalties for using a "false comparator" to claim on the packaging of certain Shapes products that the contents had 75% less saturated fat.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found Arnott's Shapes Light & Crispy products - slapped with the health claim they had 75% less saturated fat - had in fact only 60% less than its popular Shapes biscuits.

But ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the biggest problem was that Arnott's was actually comparing its Shapes Light & Crispy products to potato chips cooked in 100% palm oil.

Despite this comparison being declared in the fine print at the bottom of the packs, Mr Sims said it was inappropriate because only 20% of potato chips sold in Australia was cooked in palm oil.